In its 425 years of existence opera has played a part in many political events--The Marriage of Figaro, though very much neutralized from its French source, caused some anguish in Vienna, Verdi composed his first fifteen or so operas advocating an end to Austrian rule in Italy, and Berg's Wozzeck dramatized the plight of the impoverished, undernourished and invisible humans ground underfoot by … [Read more...]
Archives for 2017
WHAT’S GOING ON IN OPERA?
The news that Darren Keith Woods was summarily fired after a sixteen-year extraordinarily successful career as General Director of Fort Worth Opera added to some odd news from Vienna a short time ago seems inexplicable. Woods became General Director of a regional company in Texas at the turn of the present century that had made little impact on the national opera scene, overshadowed as it was … [Read more...]
RIENZI IN AMERICA?
Connecting opera to current, particularly American political events usually doesn’t work, and even more unlikely when the connection can be made, to an opera by Richard Wagner. Donald Trump has changed all that; in only ten days or so as President he has indicated a rather amazing parallel to the hero or at least to the title character in Rienzi, Wagner’s first and now quite rarely performed … [Read more...]